Archangel's Kiss (Guild Hunter Series #2)

okay read

i enjoyed the first book alot more than this one. it was a bit disappointing because i kept finding myself lose interest with the story line. Nothing captivating about it AT ALL. :T time to search for something new. Angels just dont cut it for me..

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Archangel's Kiss

Love this book. Elena and Raphael story is fantastic. I recommend you read the first book Angel's Blood to make sense of the second book Archangel's Kiss.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

bookworm

I loved this book! It is a great continuation to Angel's Blood, which is the first book featuring Raphael and Elena. I would totally recommend it to anyone who likes paranormal romance!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Fans will relish this engaging romantic fantasy

Elena Deveraux wakes up to see an odd alien city with angels in the sky. Archangel of New York Raphael fell in love with the human hunter and changed her into an immortal. After being in a coma for a year, she has been awake for three days. They argue over their relationship as he insists he is he master and she says they are equals. He says she must fly or die in the next two months as they have been invited to a ball by the oldest archangel Lijuan that they cannot afford to miss gong. Lijuan considers the hunter as Raphael's pet and the other living members of the Cadre of ten want to test her power too after what she did to one of them in New York and her being the first made human in millennia.

Raphael and Elena while flying over Refuge see a body near where Raphael's land touches that of Elijah. Loyal vampire Noel was battered and left to die with a warning to Elena as a Hunter Gild weapon was buried inside the severely injured man's chest. The trail is cold. Raphael wants to kill the violator who harmed Noel but needs proof as he knows the games to test him and his soulmate have begun and the danger increases with deaths and torture.

Although the terrific Archangel's Kiss is a direct sequel to Angels' Blood readers will have some problems during the first few chapters catching up with the back-story unless you read the previous tale recently. However, that will pass quickly as the exciting story line grips the audience while taking place entirely on the Archangel plane. The mystery is deftly handled as is the relationship between the archangel and the hunter he made while the strong support cast contains distinct different personalities. Fans will relish this engaging romantic fantasy as everything converges at Lijuan's ball.

Harriet Klausner

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

4.5 stars

I'm really enjoying this series. It keeps me turning the pages and reading into the dead of night.

Really enjoyable read!

After reading a Singh short story featuring an angel, desided to check out her Archangel series. Wasn't disappointed!

Archangel’s Kiss takes up almost immediately after the end

Archangel’s Kiss takes up almost immediately after the end of Angel’s blood and continues the story of Raphael and Elena.. As the story grows so does the intensity, passion and power. Singh, a true storyteller allows her characters to grow, demanding a place in our hearts..

After a year in a coma, Elena wakes up with awesome wings.. a combination of night and day, deep midnight wings with touches of gold.. the dawn as it rises. Unfortunately she has no clue how to use them or strength to even hold them up. At the weakest point in her life, mortal or immortal she must learn all over again. And learn fast, evil never plays fair. Demanding training session consume her days, when not learning how to fight angels, she is learning about angels.. Falling in love with the few angel children and deeper in love with Raphael, the delicious angel.

Raphael, holding on to his territory by the sheer loyalty of his Seven is determined to protect Elena. Sending each of the Seven to train her teaching her skills she must learn and must learn fast.. Determined that above all she survive. All the while learning how to be in a relationship, learning about his heart and “humanity”.

This book while revolving around Raphael and Elena is more about the angels themselves. Their secrets, their power struggles, their greed and yes their goodness. While in the secret refuge of angels, attacks are made. Initially seeming to point towards Elena but are a series of slight in hands.. The mastermind wants to breed confusion, anger then finally war.. distracting and therefore weakening the Cadre.. A new enemy and an old one..

Lijuan, the oldest Archangel is just plain off her rockers, obsessed by Elena.. Obsessed by death she is determined to create her own army of newborn.. and is ready to show off all with under the guise of having a ball to introduce the MADE angel. Lijuan is perfect, written as the archangel who controls China she has the mysterious touch to her... The layers and layers that revolves around Chinese culture. Brilliantly written..

Michaela has returned and most decidely wants a piece of Elena.. She resents her “control” over Raphael, the fact that Elena draws attention just by being who she is. And of course is just a wee bit mad herself. Walking a deliciously delightful line between totally insanely evil and acceptable Archangel.

Elena and Raphael have to find ways to avoid the pitfalls others are throwing at them, deal with the ennui only the truly immortal can feel and stop those who thrive for power. This series is a Machiavellian delight proving his axiom, “Power Corrupts, Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely”. It leaves the reader to wonder if Raphael would have fallen had he not found Elena. Not succumbed to his heart. Had he destroyed her as first advised what would have become of him? I know there really wouldn’t be a story, well not this story had that happened but it would be an interesting secondary story..

This story bleeds darkness into the light, we see Ms Singh’s true gift as a storyteller come to light. She holds us in the palm of her hand from the first page to the last.

Shauni

Brilliant

I've read this series four times now and unlike other books it just gets better with the rereading. The world building is just amazing, and the relationship between the main characters is different, but it makes sense in the context of the story and where these two people are comming from. The books have to be read as a series to really appreciate the story and kind of like the darkest of chocolates, it should be savored.

Great series!

I have really enjoyed this series of books. Intersting point of view on Angels and how vampires came to be. I liked the strong characters and the action in the book. Of course, there was the necessary romance also. A good read and can't wait for the next book in the series.

Recommend this series

I love how Nalini Singh wrote her angels less angelic like. It's a great transition from her first book.

I can't get into it.

I love this authors other series but I can't seem to get into this one. It doesn't have the same level of romance as her other books. It's so heavy on descriptions of the world and the fight to come etc it doesn't ever give the romance between the two leads enough time to grow like her other books. If you like Urban Fantasy this is a great book but if your a romance lover you will probably find it lacking. I am going back to the Wolves.

Enjoyable

Worth reading if you like this genre.

Loved

Love the whole series

Excellent Series

I enjoyed all of the books in this series and look forward to more!! I love the original world she has created.

Delving Deeper into the World of Angels and Vamps

Redonk Nutshell: Hunter-turned-angel Elena struggles to find her footing with her new status amid the threat of her consort's covetous fellow Archangels

Book two in the Guardian Hunter series wins the award for "less cheesiest cover." In fact, I think this cover is kind of bad*ss. I can't say that about any of the others, unfortunately.

Archangel's Kiss picks up more or less right off where book one left us, plot-wise. Elena wakes after a year-long coma to find that she's not a) dead (yay!) and b) a vampire. Instead, she's sporting a pair of kickin hot wings. Turns out her dear Raphael managed to turn her into an angel, a rare, if not unheard of, concept. Which makes Elena one hot commodity. And a huge target to Raphael's enemies.

The main conflict in this book is the rising distortion of power of the Archangel of China, who has been reanimating the dead. Lujian, the aforementioned villan, isn't necessarily your average evildoer. In fact, she's not always bad. She's just a bit...off, a common side effect of having lived thousands of years.

Lujian invites Raphael & his consort to her Bejing home, a cunning dare disguised as a ball. Elena works her butt off to re-train her newly formed body. What we get is a lovely treat of some familiar faces, recurring supporting characters that demand our individual attention. There's Illium, the stunning blue winged angel with a charming sense of humor. Venom, the vicious and poisonous vampire with snake like eyes and movements. Galen, the grey winged angel that re-trains Elena with her blades. Jason, the dark and mysterious tattooed angel who serves as Raphael's spymaster. Aodhan, the quiet and diamond like angel that doesn't like to be touched. And of course, Dmitri, Raphael's right hand and confidante, a vampire several hundred years old that is constantly tormenting Elena.

The main points of book two are 1) Elena's recuperation and 2) Lujian's confrontation by the Cadre of Ten. For some people, the focus of Elena's orientation into immortality may drag or seem boring. I saw it as time well spent among Raphael's infamous Seven. We get glimpses into their lives and their pasts, as well as delving into the horrific event that shaped Elena into who she is today. Generally, the dark and morose tone continues on from book one, but this time Elena is an immortal.

And of course, there's Raphael. The pompous, gorgeous, and utterly terrifying Archangel that is slowly but surely evolving into something altogether different with his love for Elena. It's lovely to watch. Hilarious, even, at times.

I enjoyed book two. In fact, it deepened my affection for the series as a whole. Jammed packed with action, humor, and some super smutty angel-time, Archangel's Kiss makes a great sophomore book to the Guild Hunter series.

Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh, 323 pgs, 2/2/10

Rating: B

Romance: 3/5 Raunch: 3.5/5

<3 this series

Awesome books! Writing a little EH but good :)

Sexy angels and ... zombies?

Archangel's Kiss is a riveting sequel to the thrilling Angels' Blood. Elena, the first ever angel-Made is getting used to her new life with wings. While Elena enjoys the seemingly peaceful confines of the Refuge, a vampire is found mutilated with a knife bearing the Guild's seal, buried deep within his chest. Someone is not happy with Elena's new status as Raphael's consort and has some plans of their own. Meanwhile another, larger threat gains power in the Forbidden City. Lijuan has some new pets; the Reborn; the walking dead.


This volume of the Guild Hunter series was a great read that evoked emotions from both sides of the spectrum. We get to see Elena become accustomed to the culture and life-style changes of angel society. I've never read about a main character with wings. I forgot they were there half the time and I feel like this made the reading experience more real for me. I was confused right along with Elena and felt her frustration at the unfamiliar appendages and her joy when she finally learned how to use them. One of the best parts of this book is Elena going to school with the child angels. The beautiful innocence of the young angles she interacts with brings a new depth to the angelic world that Singh has presented to us thus far. The adult angels have a hard, cold edge, but even the cruelest of angels is humbled and warmed by the young.

Another part I loved about this book was Elena's growing friendship with Illium. He is such a vivid character to me with his exotic coloring and wry humor that is absent in most of the angels we have met in the series. His obvious affection for Elena is blooming into something more as he shamelessly flirts with her making us fans worry for Bluebell. Hopefully he doesn't push Raphael too far, I would miss him!

On a darker note, Elena's childhood trauma is brought to the forefront through nightmares and flashbacks that are interfering with her daily life and at times distracting her to the point of danger. I'm not creepy and sadistic or anything, but I enjoy a darker tone to books like these. The chilling events add substance to a character and bring us as readers closer to them, having known their difficult pasts. Elena suffered witnessing the deaths of her sisters and the gruesome torture of her mother. The disturbing things she was forced to see and participate in at such a young age have scarred her psyche, but have shaped the deeply moral person that she is. The surfacing of these memories provide a gateway for Raphael and Elena to trust and open up to each other, making them a more relatable couple. Raphael remains the dark, stoic, sexiness that he is, but now we get to see a more human side of him that just makes him that much more endearing.

Finally, the intense creepiness of Lijuan's Reborn is just well...damn creepy! We are left not with a cliffhanger, but the promise that it is nowhere near over between the Archangel of New York and Lijuan. I will be continuing this series for sure. All you Raphael fan girls out there, you know I love you! As for me, I think I'm pretty much in love with Illium.

Archangel's Kiss - Redemption!!!!!

I honestly did not know what to expect from the sequel to Angels' Blood as i was a little disappointed by it's predecessor.But I was stunned by how much this novel captured my attention and just made me love the story all over again! Elena is a made angel and the first one in history.Being an angel instead of human truly shakes things up in her relationship with Raphael.Most of the scenes in this novel take place in the Refuge,a solemn, beautiful and secret place that Elena trains at and heals.She has to learn how to fly too and that was quite a challenge for Raphael's hunter.Also, Nalini shoved murder mysteries upon mysteries into the story line and it was so fitting and intriguing that it flowed along,the plot was so impressive and we discover new things about the characters such as Elena and her past and Michaela.New characters are introduced such as Dahariel, Aodhan, Nassir,Jessamy and sweet Sam.The romance was so good!! and that is why Nalini has gleaned so many fans for this series,who ever read about an Archangel and human turned angel pairing?? zilch and that makes it so delicious and unique to read about! A winner for me,hand me Archangel's Consort! For new readers,please read the first novel in my recommendations so as to get up to speed on everything!

Great follow-up!

I found this book to be a great follow-up to Angel's Blood, as Nalini Singh takes you through Elena's first experiences as an angel. I like how she brings back characters and plot threads from the first book, and intertwines them with new ones in this sequel. Even though the novelty of the angels and their world begins to fade with this book, I wanted to find out what happens next. The author comes up with interesting storylines, and even though a few things may seem to be repetitive at times, Singh does manage to move everything along. We finally discover the whole truth about Elena's past with Slater Patalis, and even though the ending was not as dramatic as anticipated, it was still a good read.

Great series!

By chance I found this series and have loved every minute of it. The first book was awesome and the second book was even better. The third has me hanging off the edge of my seat, but I feel like I'm a victim of the old "bait and switch." The first book was lendable, but books two and three aren't. Hmmm...